Pontiac mayoral race to be discussed at forum on Tuesday

PONTIAC -- A Tuesday forum aims to give residents the opportunity to discuss what they're looking for in a mayoral candidate this year.

"We're encouraging the public to come and participate. They will have an opportunity for their question to be asked if they get there early and fill out a slip with their question," said Pastor Robert Martin, the chairman of the Oakland County Ministerial Fellowship's Political and Social Action Committee.

The forum is being organized by the Oakland County Ministerial Fellowship, the Pontiac Black Chamber of Commerce, the Crystal Lake Baptist District Association and the Committee of 50.

Kevin McCormick, the president of the Pontiac Black Chamber of Commerce, said he'll be moderating the event.

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"I think the real objective is, whoever the candidates are that run for mayor, you want to make sure that you have the strongest candidates that you can in the race," McCormick said.

"This is a really critical time in Pontiac's development. The city's at a crossroads in that (it's) about to roll off the oversight of the emergency manager and return back to a normal governmental structure," he said.

As of Wednesday morning, Mayor Leon Jukowski, District 5 City Councilman Donald Watkins and District 7 City Councilman Kermit Williams had picked up mayoral nominating petitions at the city clerk's office. The filing deadline for the race, when candidates will need to submit 100 valid petition signatures to the city clerk's office, is May 14.

If there are more than two candidates for mayor running in the nonpartisan race, voters will thin the herd in an Aug. 6 primary election, with the top vote-getters facing off in the Nov. 5 general election.

If there were only two mayoral candidates on the ballot, they would face off in November and no primary would be held.

Jukowski said he's seeking re-election.

"I absolutely am running, and I will be running on the record of fulfilling virtually all of my campaign promises in spite of the presence of three emergency managers," the mayor said.

"The city will be exiting state control this year, and I think that it's critically important that the voters have not only the right mayor, but the right city council in place."

Watkins, who has also pulled nominating petitions for his council seat, said he's 90 percent sure he's running for mayor.

"If I like the field, if I think there's someone in there who'll do a good job, then I'll probably run for council. I'm probably 90 percent sure right now (I'm running) for mayor," he said.

Williams, who has pulled petitions for both the mayoral race and his council seat, said he hasn't made a final decision yet.

"I haven't made any decision. I've been working with the pastors to come up with some questions for the next mayor of the City of Pontiac," he said. "I think the forum ... is going to be an awesome opportunity to start setting the vision for somebody who's going to take over post-emergency management."